Mohd. Sameer got shot in the spinal cord, resulting in paraplegia, a condition that paralyses the lower half of the body; he was forced to drop out of school
Mohd. Sameer, at the age of 17, vividly remembers the night of February 24, 2020, when his life took a drastic turn and he had to discontinue his education. While returning home from a religious gathering, he became an unintended victim of a clash, sustaining a spinal cord injury from a gunshot. The resulting paraplegia confined him to bed for two months and eventually led to him dropping out of school during the 9th grade.
After a two-year break, Sameer made the courageous decision to resume his education by enrolling in online classes for the 10th grade in 2022. To his immense joy and relief, he recently received the news that he successfully cleared his Class 10 exams conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). Despite his fears of academic setbacks due to the prolonged break, Sameer’s determination and hard work paid off.
His mother, Shahana Parveen, shares in the happiness and holds hope for a brighter future for Sameer, envisioning his progress through classes 11 and 12 and the subsequent career opportunities that lie ahead. Sameer’s father, Mohd Zakir, who sells cooling grass, finds solace in the news, providing much-needed comfort amidst the challenges faced by his business.
Despite the adversities he has faced, Sameer remains ambitious and nurtures a strong aspiration to become a doctor, setting a personal benchmark for himself. He acknowledges the importance of improving his English language skills and intends to seek tuition to achieve that goal. Alongside his pursuit of academic success, Sameer has discovered solace and satisfaction in singing, which has helped him cope with the emotional stress caused by his injury. He also incorporates workouts into his routine to enhance his strength and stimulate movement in his legs.
Looking back, Sameer is grateful for the support he has received, though he expresses a wish for more assistance from his school at the time of the accident, which might have prevented him from discontinuing his studies.